Sash connector apparatus



H 1957 w. L. WALSH 9 3 SASH CONNECTOR APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1956 INVENTOR WILLIAM L. WALSH BY I 7 M HIS ##d United States Patent SASH CONNECTOR APPARATUS William L. Walsh, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to S. H.

Pomeroy Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1956, Serial No. 570,795

6 Claims. (Cl. 16-197) This invention relates to apparatus for connecting spring balances to slidable window sash.

In metallic window structures provisions must be made fora simple yet strong connection between spring balances and window sash in order to facilitate assembly of these components during building operations. Preferably, the connection should inconspicuously provide great strength so that the finished structure has a pleasing appearance. In addition, the balance should be readily removable from the sash connector to permit servicing or replacement. Prior connecting arrangements utilized connectors not readily detachable from the balance and having a visible and unsightly connection to the sash. Furthermore, such arrangements required right and left-hand connectors, this being inconvenient and requiring an expensive inventory of parts. Therefore, it is most desirable to eliminate the necessity for stocking large quantities of sash connectors in right and left-hand sizes by providing a single connector useful in both positions.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a universal sash balance connector adapted to be removably connected to a spring balance and rigidly joined to window sash.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sash connector of the above character in which the sash connection is practically invisible in the completed assembly.

These and further objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a sash connector formed of a horizontally extending vertically oriented strip having vertically oriented passages cooperating with a window sash to receive fastening devices through a horizontal member, this arrangement permitting a permanent and rigid attachment to the window sash. An offset provided in the middle of the connector cooperates with a cutout portion in the sash flange to distribute the load evenly. At the end of the connector is found a loop carrying ratchet elements, the loop being removably fastened to the end of a cooperating spring balance.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood when the following description is red in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a metallic window structure illustrating a conventional double hung window;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the upper sash of Figurel, greatly enlarged, illustrating a typical embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the structure of Figure 2 taken on the view line 33 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is an exploded view of elements utilized in joining a sash balance connector to a spring balance in accordance with the invention.

Referring to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention in greater detail with particular reference to Figure 1, an upper sash and a lower sash 11 are slidably mounted in a conventional window frame formed by 2,313,296 Patented Nov. 19, 1957 ice a head 12, a sill 13 and jambs 14 joining their ends. These members may be mounted in masonry in any convenient manner, such mounting being well known inthis art. In order to counterbalance the sashes 10 and 11, spring balances (not shown) are mounted in the jambs 14 and joined to the lower ends of the sashes 10 and 11 by sash connectors, such connection being the feature of metallic window structures to which the present invention is directed.

Referring to Figure 2 in which a fragmentary view of one side of the lower end of the upper sash 10 is shown, a meeting rail 15 is fastened to a stile 16 by means of tabs 17 struck out of a portion of its web. A horizontal web 18 disposed between opposite sides of the meeting rail 15 may be somewhat removed from its lower edge as shown. Flanges 19 on the stile 16 cooperate with the jamb 14 to provide a sliding weather tight seal, a notch 20 being provided in one of the flanges 19 for a purpose to be discussed hereinafter.

A downwardly extending portion 21 of the spring balance includes a pair of coaxial springs 22 and. 23 fastened to a generally cylindrical anchoring element 24 (Figure 4) by forcing them on to portions 24a and 24b, respectively, the lower turn of each spring respectively falling in slots 24c and 24d. A collar 25 provided with triangular ratchet elements 26 and'U-shaped slots 27 slips over the end of the anchor 24, the U-shaped slots 27 fitting ,U-shaped lugs 28 on the anchor 24 to secure the collar 25 against angular movement. A slot 29 on the anchor receives a removable retaining ring 30 (Figure 2) to hold the collar 25 in position.

After installation in a building of window structure including the sash and spring balances, it is necessary to connect these members. According to the present invention, a sash connect0r31 includes a strip 32 extending into the meeting rail 15 through the opening provided by striking the tabs 17 from the stile 16. Narrow bands of metal 33 and 34 are punched or lanced in alternate directions to form passages 33a and 34a which receive self-tapping screws 36 and 37 through openings 38 and 39 in the web 18. It will be evident that with this arrangement, the strip 32 is securely and invisibly fastened to the meeting rail 15. Of course, even if the web 18 forms the lower edge of the rail 15, the connection will be almost completely inconspicuous when contrasted with prior arrangements in which screws were mounted in the rail sides.

The other end of the sash connector 31 comprises an open loop 46 having ratchet elements 41 disposed along its upper and lower peripheries and adapted to cooperate with the triangular protrusions 26 on the collar 25 when this element is fitted in the loop 40. With this arrangement, the anchor 24 and collar 25 may be rotated counterclockwise for suitably tensioning the springs 22 and 23. Since the sash connector 31 is symmetrical, it is necessary to stock only half as many of these members since they may be used on both sides of the sash.

An offset portion 42 joins the loop 40 to the strip 32, this configuration causing the sash connector 31 to extend outwardly from the sash 10 through the slot 20 in the flange 19, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Therefore, the upper edge of the offset portion 42 bears against the slot 20 to provide further support for the sash 10 and distribute the load borne by the sash connector 31 between the bolts 36 and 37 and the slot 20. Due to the load distribution along the length of the sash connector 31, the rigidity of the connection between the two elements is greatly improved.

To assemble the sash connector 31 with the sash 10, the strip 32 is inserted into the meeting rail 15 and the self-tapping screws 36 and 37 inserted into the lanced .or replacement,-;the retaining collar 30 may be snapped out of the slot 29 and the collar 25 and loop 40 slipped off the anchor-24. The same elements may then be quickly inserted on asimilar anchorattached-toa new or re pairedspring balance, this feature permitting inexpensive repairs to metallic windows-in rapid fashion.

It will be understood thatthe above described embodiment of the invention is illustrative only and modifications thereof willoccurto those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention isnot to .be limited to the specific apparatus disclosed herein butis. to: be definedby the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus including a sash balance connector for joining slidable sash carried by jamb structure to a spring balance in the jamb structure comprising a vertically oriented strip on one end of the connector extending into a lower rail of the sash to provide a concealed connectorsash connection, vertical openings formed in the strip receiving fastening meanspassing through a horizontal supporting member in the rail, a loop on the other end of the connector, a'collar fitting inside the loop received by and keyed to an anchor on the spring balance, means removably retaining the collar on the anchor, and a por- .tion on the connector laterally offset from the vertical plane of the strip joining the strip and the loop, said offset portion having its upperedge bearing against a flange on the side of the sash to=distribute the load along the connector.

horizontal support.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical openings-ere formed -by-la-ncingthe strip, said openings receiving screws through the horizontal supporting member.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which ratchet elements are provided on the loop and the collar to permit relative rotation therebetween in only one direction for tensioning the spring balance.

4. A sash balance connector for spring balances comprising a vertically oriented strip on one end of theconnector adapted to be positioned in a lower rail of a slidable window sash to provide a concealed connector-sash-connection, vertical openings formedin the strip adapted to receive fastening meansthrough a horizontal support in the rail, :1 loop on;the other end;,of-the connector adapted to be removably fastened to the spring balance by a collar, and a portion on the connector laterally offset from the vertical plane of the strip joining the strip and the loop and adapted to have its upper edge bear againstaflange on the side of the sash.

5. Apparatusas-defined in claim 4 wherein "the vertical openings in thestrip are formed by lancing the strip, said openings being adapted to receive screws through-the 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the loop has ratchet elements disposed along its upper and lower peripheries-onegroup of whichis adapted to cooperate with'ratehet elements onsaid collar to'permit'relativerotation therebetween in only. one direction for tensioning the spring balance.

1 References Cited in the-file .ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,951 ,Larson Sept. 12,,1933 2,604,655 ,Peremi July 29, 1952 2,622,267 Peremi Dec. 23,:, l952 2,774,100 Larsqnet; al. M 'Dec.,18,1956 

